The present invention relates to methods and/or systems for applying treatment fluid to a plurality of fabric articles in a fabric treatment apparatus. The present invention is also directed to an apparatus capable of carrying out such methods and/or systems.
In recent times, consumers have demanded more in the form of deliverables from both conventional laundry and dry cleaning practices. Further, consumers and commercial service providers prefer that these benefits be delivered within one apparatus to minimize additional labor or effort. Examples of the desired deliverables include fabric treatment for durability, resilience, waterproofing, stainproofing, aesthetics, perfume application, improved cleaning, improved whitening, and wrinkle reduction/release.
Most of these deliverables require even or semi-even distribution of low fluid volumes onto the fabric surfaces due to cost or efficacy considerations. Perfume, for example, requires semi-even distribution. In other words, it is not desirable for a fabric article to be drenched in perfume while another fabric article receives one drop in one area. Waterproofing, on the other hand, requires even distribution. In other words, it is desirable that a fabric article or several fabric articles are almost entirely covered across their surface(s) such that the water resistance is not blotchy across the article.
Conventional aqueous-based laundering and dry cleaning apparatuses typically introduce an aqueous liquor or cleaning fluid, respectively, by way of one or more spouts positioned at or near the top of the chamber, above the area the fabric load normally resides while in the chamber. Spray devices are rarely utilized. The cleaning fluid, in the case of dry cleaning apparatuses, or aqueous liquor, in the case of conventional laundering apparatuses, flows out of at least one spout falling onto or near the fabric load. Most, if not all of the time, this cleaning bath continues to flow until the fabric load is immersed wherein every article within the fabric load is in a state far above its absorptive capacity.
Complete immersion is an effective way to deliver cleaning baths made up of adjunct ingredients and water or cleaning fluids; however, as alluded to above, many of the recently-demanded deliverables require distribution of low fluid volumes onto the fabric surface in order to be effective or economically feasible. As a result, complete immersion may not be an effective or cost conscious way to deliver many consumer noticeable benefits. Further, while application of low fluid volumes may be achieved with controlled flow devices, point saturation and uneven distribution across the fabric load are still problematic, particularly when some fabric articles lay directly before the controlled flow device blocking the path to other fabric articles.
Accordingly, the need remains for an economically feasible and/or effective way to apply treatment fluid onto the surfaces of the fabrics for the purpose of delivering consumer noticeable benefits without the negative effects of point saturation and uneven treatment fluid distribution.
This need is met by the present invention wherein a method for economically and/or effectively applying fabric treatment fluid onto the surfaces of fabrics for the purpose of delivering consumer noticeable benefits without the negative effects of point saturation and uneven treatment fluid distribution.
In general, the invention encompasses contacting a plurality of fabric articles contained within a fabric-containing chamber of a fabric treating apparatus while the plurality of fabric articles are in motion.
In a first aspect of the invention, a method for treating a plurality of fabric articles contained within a chamber of a fabric treatment apparatus comprising the step of contacting the plurality of fabric articles with a fabric treatment fluid while the plurality of fabric articles are in motion such that the plurality of fabric articles are treated, is provided.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a fabric treating system comprising:
a. a chamber for receiving a plurality of fabric articles to be treated;
b. a motion provider associated with said chamber for providing motion to the plurality of fabric articles when contained within said chamber;
c. an applicator associated with said chamber for applying a fabric treatment fluid to said plurality of fabric articles when contained within said chamber;
wherein said motion provider and said applicator are in communication such that said applicator applies the fabric treatment fluid to the plurality of fabric articles only when the plurality of fabric articles are in motion, is provided.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a fabric treating apparatus comprising:
a. a chamber for receiving a plurality of fabric articles to be treated;
b. a motion provider mechanically associated with said chamber such that it is capable of providing rotational motion to said chamber;
c. an applicator mechanically associated with said chamber for applying a fabric treatment fluid into said chamber
wherein said motion provider and said applicator are in communication such that said applicator applies the fabric treatment fluid into said chamber only when said chamber is in motion, is provided.
Accordingly, the present invention provides fabric treating methods and systems and an apparatus for use in such methods and/or systems.
These and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims. All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (xc2x0 C.) unless otherwise specified. All measurements are in SI units unless otherwise specified. All documents, books, articles, and references cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.